Why Is It Nearly Impossible to Get the National Newspapers ?

[EBlair48]

Last year there were two book stores at the Tesco mini-mall in Bang Tao selling all the English language newspapers. Both closed within a month of each other. Now, three privately owned stores in the vicinity each get three copies of The Nation(alist) and The Bangkok Post around 11 AM, which are usually gone within 1/2 hour.

When I ask , "why don't you get more? " Shrugs and giggles.

Even have ventured on Sunday to the book store at the Tesco Mall in Thalang, where they get 4 copies, had two other foreigners there at the same time asking the same question " Why don't you get more?"

" This is Thailand" was that response, inferring...what... foreigners should not expect to get newspapers? Or, "this is Thailand... " as in we are utterly incompetent?

Asked the manager at Cherng Telay Villa Market why no newspapers, have plenty of overpriced foreign magazines, (which do not sell worth beans) but not even Phuket Gazette or Phuket News and he says the papers won't sell to grocery stores. Huh?

I do find the Boat Lagoon store always has plenty of Bangkok Posts, but do not get the Nation(alist), anymore.

But, that's just too far to go for a paper though I will stop at it if I'm going by and can usually get two or three days worth of Bangkok Posts.

Why would publishers make it difficult to buy their papers?

[eezergood]

Toilet paper is cheaper & softer mate, make the change.......

[stevenl]

7/11

Edited February 27, 2014 by stevenl

[Guest]

Isn't it possible to get the newspaper subscription delivered to your home?

[EBlair48]

I have never see either national paper at a 7-11 Only Thai language.

I have asked for home delivery, but seem am too far off the main roads for delivery.

[stevenl]

I have never see either national paper at a 7-11 Only Thai language.

I have asked for home delivery, but seem am too far off the main roads for delivery.

Better take a good look next time then.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[xen]

A good proportion of the English reading consumers would be reading the Nation or the Bangkok Post on line. I can't remember how long it has been since i bought a hard copy of a newspaper. I suspect that the shops don't make much mark-up on the papers they sell and they can't return the unsold ones for credit so they only get a few to play safe.

[Yahooka]

I have never see either national paper at a 7-11 Only Thai language.

I have asked for home delivery, but seem am too far off the main roads for delivery.

They get the 3 copies in 7-11 also .It`s annoying as hell,but strangely enough in Pattaya there is never a problem to get a hold of a copy even in late afternoon...only in Phuket.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Yahooka

[keestha]

I noticed that about 5 years ago, suddenly it had become more difficult to get the Bangkok Post. Places that used to stock a few copies stopped selling it. Suspect they stopped charging the outlets for just the sold copies. Was a bit pissed off when seeing that at Suvarnabhumi it is no problem to get a Finnish newspaper, but no shops at all selling the Bangkok Post or the Nation. Oh well, they have a high rent to pay, selling Thai newspapers won't bring in much profit.

[Peterocket]

Newspaper Direct have a choice of 2990 international newspapers available. Quite impressive selection from over 100 countries, everything from the Financial times to the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt

[Langsuan Man]

I got tired of not getting my morning BP so my solution was to get it or The Nation via a monthly subscription to a web service called Press Display. Unlike most online versions of newspapers this one actually gives you the view of the paper as a complete newspaper page to include all the side bar stories, pictures, etc. just as if you were reading the actual paper. Not only am I guaranteed every issue of the paper but is (at least for me) at $9.90 per month cheaper than the actual paper. I may be grandfathered in for the $9.90 per month plan but even at the same price as the newsstand the convenience is worth it. And if I want to read a US or UK newspaper one day instead of the Thai papers I can select one of those under my allowed 30 issues a month. I think that they have a free 7 day trial. see: http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

[EBlair48]

^

Well I guess I could do that but my enjoyment of the paper comes from taking outside and reading it in the sala or taking it to the beach. I also like to go and eat lunch and have it for that too.

So today went by the private store right when it was delivered and got a B Post, neither they or the other shop will be carrying The Nation anymore. why on earth?

Last week I asked the first shop to save me a paper, and paid them for it, they'd forgotten all about it and were going to charge me today , but the woman I paid last week came in then, so...

[keestha]

The large mini mart where I get the BP has arrangements with many steady customers, like myself, to keep a BP copy for them. Sure, I could just as well read the news online, but I am too much attached to the soothing ritual of sitting down there with the newspaper every evening at the same time. Old habits sometimes die hard.

When will we finally get a plastic newspaper you can connect to the computer to download the newspaper, stays readable when disconnected, and the next day you delete it before downloading the new newspaper? Technically doable, and would save lots of trees.